NFL Notes: Franchise Tags, Bears, Bengals, Chargers

Franchise Tags

Joel Corry of CBS Sports takes a look at some 2018 free agents who could be in line to receive franchise tags next year.

Corry list includes:

1. Redskins QB Kirk Cousins ($34,478,78)
2. Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell ($14.544 million)
3. 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo ($23,555,000)
4. Cowboys DE Demarcus Lawrence ($17,414,000)
5. Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry ($16,235,000)
6. Vikings QB Case Keenum ($23,555,000)
7. Packers WR Davante Adams ($16,235,000)
8. Patriots CB Malcolm Butler ($15,212,000)
9. Panthers G Andrew Norwell ($14,299,000)
10. Seahawks DT Sheldon Richardson ($14,159,000)
11. Lions DE Ezekiel Ansah ($17,414,000)

We have most of these players featured in our Top 25 – 2018 NFL Free Agents list.

Bears

• According to Howard Balzer, the Bears hosted G Will Pericak and S K.J. Dillon for visits on Wednesday.
• Ultimately, the Bears elected to sign Pericak to their practice squad.

Bengals

• Bengals HC Marvin Lewis said Thursday that rookie WR John Ross (shoulder, injured reserve) had been hiding his injury from the team before eventually “coming clean.” (Ross Tucker)
• The Bengals officially placed Ross on injured reserve Wednesday. (NFLTR)

Chargers

Chargers QB Philip Rivers mentioned during an interview with Pro Football Talk that he has no desire to continue playing until he’s 45 years old.

“I don’t have a number in mind,” Rivers said. “I can tell you right now it ain’t gonna be 45. I have no desire for it to be that long. I hope I help lead my son’s high school team to a state championship by the time I’m 45. I don’t think I’m gonna have a helmet on when I’m 45.”

“I think so as we sit today,” Rivers said. “You said it best. Times can change, things change. Sometimes you have different feelings in the offseason and teams have different feelings in the offseason. But you do know this that it doesn’t last forever. Some of those that you mentioned that didn’t get to finish for different reasons whether it be for injury, whether it be organizational decisions. Lot of those guys were on my wall as a kid. I had a poster of those guys. You’re talking about some of the best to ever play. You know, it can happen to anybody. As we sit today I certainly hope so. I certainly hope to. It’s been an interesting transition with the move up north but I think I speak for my wife and my children they would all say it’s gone smoother than anticipated thus far. Hopefully it’s a handful more years.”